Mar 15, 20202 min read

Daytona Beach Florida Mayor Declares State Of Emergency

A state of emergency in Daytona Beach forces Bike Week and all other events to shut down.

Today, Mayor Derrick L. Henry declared a state of emergency for the City of Daytona Beach in response to COVID-19 (the corona virus). The seven-day emergency order will be effective today through March 20, 2020.

The declaration order makes additional emergency resources available to assist in the event of an emergency response and gives the city greater flexibility to procure needed resources.

As well as issuing the emergency declaration, as of 8 a.m. Saturday, March 14, the City is revoking all city-issued permits for outdoor events occurring while the declaration is in effect including 2020 Bike Week activities and the St. Patrick’s Day Block Party on Beach Street scheduled for Tuesday, March 17. The City is also suspending issuance of all new permit applications during the declaration’s effective dates.

The city is canceling or postponing all public or private community events at city-owned facilities with more than 100 or more people in a single room or indoor space at the same time. This includes performances at the Peabody Auditorium and the Easter Beach Run.

City-sponsored programs for senior citizens including meetings, daily fitness programs, recreation classes and social events at city facilities have been canceled.

The declaration also strongly encourages large gatherings of 100 or more individuals from taking place within the city to protect public health and safety and mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19. This national pandemic has also caused our local residents to panic, as have residents around the country. Local store shelves are empty of items such as toilet paper, alcohol, water, hand sanitizer, canned goods, and other household necessities.

During the declaration, the city utility services will not be discontinued or disconnected due to non-payment of fees.

The declaration will be ratified by the City Commission at a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, in City Hall. The regularly scheduled City Commission meeting on Wednesday, March 18, has been canceled.